Boeing's portable drone-killing laser

Here it is, the latest laser toy from Boeing, designed specifically to set drones on fire:
http://www.wired.com/2015/08/welcome-world-drone-killing-laser-cannon/ It's a 2kW laser that's controlled by a standard Xbox 360 and a laptop. Although the article doesn't say so, it's probably powered by an off-the-shelf IPG fiber laser, like the big laser cannons that are being deployed on US ships.
Every kid in America is going to ask for one for Christmas. <g>

On 8/28/2015 9:47 AM, Ed Huntress wrote: ...
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Not only every kid, quite a few adults, especially RCM'ers. Show of hands, please ...

On Fri, 28 Aug 2015 10:30:54 -0400, Bob Engelhardt
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Yeah, we're some of the kids I was thinking about. d8-)

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I'm holding out for the vaporizing laser which will take out the perps who wander into my yard. Poof! Magic Smoke released, perp gone. Maybe they can work for road rage, too. <giggle>

16:47:48 -0700 typed in rec.crafts.metalworking the following:
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    Umm, some of the "worst" offenders here, well, lets just say "We Adults, we can act like children any time we want. And we have our own money, too!"
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    Years ago, I helped a friend with a class assignment (Technical Writing, "Create a Brochure"). What they came up with was a civilian application of particle beam projectors, for home security. "Ask about the Zap-O-Matic 3000, with the 'Trespasser Be Gone' option." next to a sketch of a house and a puff of smoke.
-- pyotr filipivich "With Age comes Wisdom. Although more often, Age travels alone."

On Mon, 31 Aug 2015 11:40:00 -0700, pyotr filipivich
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What can I say? Great minds think alike.

On Fri, 28 Aug 2015 09:47:41 -0400, Ed Huntress wrote:
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How far away would you have to be for that not to blind you?

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Probably on the Moon. <g> A 2 kW laser, focused for a destructive spot like, that, is damned dangerous.
The thing is, though, that it probably goes out of focus pretty fast. It would depend on the spot size at some distance. These are not strictly parallel beams; they have to focus them with lenses. But fiber lasers, which are the ones typically used for these small-scale millitary applications, have a wavelength that is particularly nasty for human eyes. That's why the fiber cutting lasers used in fab shops are enclosed with heavily-tinted enclosures, while CO2 lasers are not.

Odd, lasers I know can't be focused. They can be bent and shaped by mirror. But focus is not how it works. Laser means parallel light.
Martin
On 8/28/2015 9:48 AM, Ed Huntress wrote:
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On Sat, 29 Aug 2015 21:01:15 -0500, Martin Eastburn
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Yeah, they're focused for most applications. All of the metalworking laser-cutting systems are focused. Look up "laser beam quality."

On 8/28/2015 11:47 PM, Ed Huntress wrote:
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I'm waiting for the patio version to zap incoming mosquitoes...
Jon

Jon Anderson wrote:
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http://www.geekwire.com/2015/intellectual-ventures-laser-mosquito-zapper- one-step-closer-to-commercialization/

Someone made a widget that could zap mosquitoes in flight a couple of years back. I'll bet anyone with access to a hobby sized laser cutter and a PC c ould shoot down drones for a lot less money. Might take a little longer tha n the instantaneous zap of a big-ass laser but 40 or 50 watts would do nice ly..

On Fri, 28 Aug 2015 16:14:31 -0700 (PDT), SteamboatEd Haas
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It's not the power, Ed. It's the target acquisition and tracking.

On Fri, 28 Aug 2015 09:47:41 -0400, Ed Huntress
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Probably will be very popular in the hill top villages in Afghanistan :-)

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I think the main idea is to place them around US airports. "Whoops! That was a Piper Cub!" <g>

On Friday, August 28, 2015 at 9:35:17 PM UTC-4, Ed Huntress wrote:
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(so much for that drug shipment)

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As always, applications of this stuff are limitless. For example, blinding tanks, setting objects on fire remotely, or even lasering soldiers who are in the "line of sight".
An operator can be sitting safely a mile away from the weapon.
It looks like the laser beam is not in visible light, so it may not be easy to detect and fire upon.
i

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Low end night vision gear with daylight filters detects near infrared.

On Sat, 29 Aug 2015 19:43:05 -0500, Ignoramus26274
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Fiber lasers have a wavelength of around 1,000 nm, which is infrared.